Improvement in car-couplings



n. A. McKANNAf Car-Coupling. N ,1 1,255 Patented March23,1875.

"5' v 0 q f .WITNESSES v IINVENTOR V ttor neys THE GRAPHIC C( LPH UTO-LlTll-SQAM PARK PLAGEJLY.

ROBERT A. MOKANNA, OF ELLISON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS HIS RIGHT TO JOHN DALTON AND GEORGE DALTON.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 161,255, dated March 23, 1875; application filed September 6, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT A. MGKANNA, of Ellison, in the county of Warren and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Coupling; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a partof this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts of a car-coupler, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

I11 the accompanying drawings making part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 aplan view of a portion of the draw-head.

In the figures, A represents the draw head, the upper side of which is provided with a doorway, which said doorway is closed or disclosed by a door, B. This door is hinged at its rear end to two standards erected upon the draw-head, as seen at m m. An arm, 0, projects backward from the door, being confined to it; and beneath this arm, between it and the draw-head, is a coiled-wire spring, E which, pressing upward, serves to assist in closing the door. Secured to and depending from the under side of the door, near its rear end, is a metallic loop or staple, into which the link passes when the cars are coupled. resents a beveled tongue, which is placed in the bottonrof' the month of the draw-head. This tongue rises as it passes back, and is then square or concave atits rear end, so that when the link passes up and drops behind it, it will be retained. On the under side of the tongue, at its rear end, is formed a shank, 'at right angles to it, and which, after passing G repdown through the bottom of the draw-head, is

confined there by means of a pin. sents this shank. a to represent two coiled springs, which lie in a groove in the bottom of the mouth of the draw-head, one on each side of the tongue. This tongue moves upon its shank I, so that its forward end partially rotates, and this end is kept in place by means of the springs a a on each side of it. By this movement of the tongue thelinks are allowed to keep said tongues in line of draft. D represents a lever, by means of which the door B may be raised when desirable. L is the projection on under side of tongue which con I reprefines it to the draw-head, and against which the springs a c act.

When this coupler is to be used, the link H strikes into the mouth of the draw-head, as usual, and, sliding up the tongue G, raises the door B until the link drops behind the tongue; then the door drops and assists in keeping the link in place. The link, when pushed back, passes in the loop J, which is attached to the door. This loop, of course, when that is the case, prevents the door from rising.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The wedge-shaped tongue G, made movable, and combined with the draw-head, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The door B, in combination with lever D, arm 0, and spring E, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of August, 1874.

ROBERT A. MOKANNA.

Witnesses I. N. SMITH, F. P. RHEA. 

